ABSTRACT
The human gastrointestinal tract is inhabited by a diversity of microbial population responsible for important metabolic systems that are necessary for nutrition uptake and digestion. The gut microbiota consists of a wide array of bacterial species that shape the biochemical profile of the diet and thus have a huge impact on the host health and disease. Various studies have focused on identification and characterisation of metabolic pathways undergone by specific microorganisms that result in metabolism of dietary components, which play a major role in human metabolism and nutrient absorption. Considered as a virtual organ of the human body, the gut microbiome refers to collective genomes of microorganisms residing in the human gut and consists of over three million genes. These genes encode for metabolic pathways that are responsible for fermentation of various substrates, including non-digestible dietary fibres, such as exopolysachharides (EPS) into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Deconjugation reactions of polyphenolic compounds, such as isoflavones, lignans, flavones and flavanols result in generation of health-beneficial compounds, such as aglycone metabolites, phenolic acids and enterolignans which have multiple functional properties. The functional properties offered by metabolites generated during gut fermentation include anticancer, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antiobesity and antioxidant activity. People suffering from diseases, such as arthritis, Crohn’s disease, obesity, atopic eczema and diabetes have commonly showed decreased gut microbial diversity. Thus, high bacterial diversity in the gut is of prime importance for generation of health-beneficial metabolites with functional properties.
